Food Handling Basics
Published: 20 June 2024
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Published: 20 June 2024
Safe food handling is always important, but particularly so in healthcare settings, where you are catering to vulnerable or sick people who are highly susceptible to the consequences of foodborne illness or infection.
Each year, there are an estimated 4.1 million cases of food poisoning in Australia (Food Authority 2023).
These cases are largely preventable. It only takes a few simple steps to reduce the risk of food poisoning (AIFS 2018).
Preventative measures against food poisoning include observing basic personal hygiene techniques and careful food preparation, storage and display.
Standard 6: Food and Nutrition - Outcome 6.3: Provision of food and drink (Action 6.3.3) under the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards requires aged care organisations to ensure all meals, drinks and snacks provided are prepared and served safely (ACQSC 2024).
Keep the following at the forefront of your mind when handling food:
Always wash (vigorously and for at least 20 seconds) and dry your hands:
(Healthdirect 2022; FSANZ 2023)
For a comprehensive guide on how to properly perform hand hygiene, read Hand Hygiene 101.
If you’ve experienced infection, diarrhoea or vomiting, avoid handling food for at least 48 hours after your symptoms disappear (Healthdirect 2022).
Wipe down benches before and after use (SCHN 2024).
To avoid cross-contamination, keep utensils and cutting boards used for raw and ready-to-eat foods separate and wash them with warm, soapy water between uses (Healthdirect 2022).
As a general guideline, food that must be kept cold should be stored at or below 5°C to prevent the growth of bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. Frozen food should be kept at -18°C or colder. Use a thermometer to check these temperatures (Food Safety Information Council 2020).
(FSANZ 2023; Food Safety Information Council 2020; Healthdirect 2022)
Make sure meat is thoroughly cooked and that the centre of cooked food is at least 75°C.
(Healthdirect 2022; Food Safety Information Council 2022; FSANZ 2023)
Bear in mind that raw meat, fish, poultry and raw vegetables can contain large numbers of bacteria. For this reason, protective measures need to be taken to prevent bacteria from spreading.
(FSANZ 2023; Healthdirect 2022)
(Healthy WA 2018)
Question 1 of 3
Why is it important to keep raw meat and poultry at the bottom of the fridge?